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Putman & Son’s Plumbing was spotted in a Royal Oak neighborhood servicing a client. With the upcoming holiday season our 24/7 emergency line has been reinforced to meet our customers needs. Contact us today!
News
5 Ways to Prevent Frozen Pipes This Winter
The first snow of the season is here which is a great time to remind everyone that frozen pipes can cause major damage. The best way to deal with this problem is to prevent it altogether. The following methods will help protect your home and plumbing from cold weather-related damage.
- Maintain Temperatures Around Pipes – Areas like attics and crawl spaces are often unheated or have limited access to climate control. Make sure these areas are kept at higher temperatures to prevent pipe freezing.
- Install Fiberglass Insulation in Attic or Crawl Space – Installing fiberglass insulation can protect your plumbing from low temperatures. This should be done while wearing heavy duty disposable coveralls, work gloves, and a dust mask.
- Leave Cabinet Doors Open in the Kitchen – Pipes that connect to the kitchen sink are often found behind cabinets and along exterior walls. These spaces are harder to keep heated. Leave cabinet doors open in the kitchen to allow indoor heating to enter and warm pipes.
- Turn Off the Main Water Valve – If you have no other options or if your home will be unoccupied for a length of time, turn off the main water valve. If the water remaining in a pipe freezes, it will significantly decrease the potential damage because spillage will be minimal.
- Use a Heating Cable to Warm Pipes – Heating cable or heat tape is designed to keep pipes warm. This can be especially helpful in mobile homes. Always follow the manufacturer’s directions when installing.
Contact Putman and Son’s Plumbing for recommendations for all of your plumbing needs. Our certified plumbing experts can identify problem areas in your home and help find a solution before a pipe bursts.
Trick or Treat?
Helping Small Business in the Mitten
We so appreciate our customers from individuals to small businesses to large corporations. Each of you are very special to us and we treat your plumbing problems as if they were our own. We pride ourselves in doing the job right as well as providing white glove service. Contact Putman & Son’s certified plumbers 24/7 for any of your plumbing needs.
Going Green Can $AVE Money
Going green… Some popular media would count this as a fad while others find the merit in the prospects of environmental protection. The odd correlation that is hardly ever discussed is the fact that going green when implemented properly is a cost savings not just a resource savings. The EPA estimates that roughly 26% of domestic water usage is attributed to flushing the toilet. This number definitely varies greatly for a business let alone from one industry to another yet it is one of the quickest and simplest ways to start saving money. Installing a Dual Flush toilet for example can reduce water waste by up to 50% simply by having the option to flush solid waste the standard way or press a button to flush liquid waste. This uses less water for the liquid waste and saves you as a business or property owner that much more money.
Another point of savings is in your hot water. Why keep a full tank of water constantly hot when you can simply heat the amount of water you need to use? Most employees won’t be taking showers (unless that is part of your industry) and thus you won’t have to worry as much about heat consistency, but even if you replace one tank with three units you will still save energy and money simply not having to store the hot water. As a business the cost reduction would be worth the initial investment. Presuming the average cost of a Dual flush toilet is roughly $160-$200 per unit and the average employee uses 3.5 to 7 gallons per flush the cost of eliminating roughly half of that per person would recover the installation cost in just a few months. For more information or for installation contact Putman & Son’s Plumbing.
Do You Need a Sump Pump?
A sump pump is used to remove water from basements and crawl spaces. It helps to keep these areas dry to prevent flooding, mold growth, and water damage. A sump pit is constructed that connects to the pump. The pump provides the motion that carries water out of the pit and away from the foundation to a place where it can safely drain without causing structural issues.
How Does a Sump Pump Work?
Most units function using a pressure sensor or float activator. These will tell the pump when it’s time to turn on. The float activator works like a toilet tank, with a floating ball that rises to a certain point before switching the unit on. Pressure sensors are more common because they are convenient. This device activates when it detects water pressure. Automatic sump pumps are equipped with a manual turn-on function that lets the homeowner switch it on by hand in case the sensor or activator fails.
When the motor turns on, it rotates an impeller. Centrifugal force is created that forces water to the sides of the pipe. This pushes liquid in the pit out through a pipe. Residential sump pumps are powered using standard current electricity, so no specialized wiring is required. We recommend having a GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) on the outlet powering the pump for safety.
Contact Putman & Son’s Plumbing certified plumbers in Southeast Michigan for a recommendation and installation of the best sump pump for your home.
